Will.i.am heaps praise on new The Voice coaches Paloma Faith and Boy George

Will.i.am has praised new ‘The Voice’ judges Paloma Faith and Boy George and thinks they will make a great job of taking over from Sir Tom Jones and Rita Ora.

The 40-year-old star – who admitted he’s still ”sad” that Sir Tom Jones has been axed from the panel – teased that fellow mentor Paloma is like a ”freakin’ fireball” while Culture Club singer George isn’t afraid to speak his mind.

He told the Metro: ”Paloma Faith is amazing, like a freakin’ fireball, and Boy George is classic and iconic and bold and doesn’t hold anything back.”

Meanwhile, the Black Eyed Peas star previously revealed that Rita Ora phoned him up to ask for his advice on whether she should quit the show for bitter rivals ‘The X Factor’.

When it was announced she was leaving ‘The Voice’ after just one year to join ‘The X Factor’, he said: ”I don’t feel Rita has betrayed me.

”Before she signed up she called me and asked for my opinion. Not approval though, my opinion…

”I just said, ‘That’s dope, how much did you get paid?’ ”

will.i.am, Paloma Faith and Boy George are joined by returning judge, Kaiser Chiefs frontman Ricky Wilson on the new series of ‘The Voice’, which airs next year.

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